The Athletics announced that veteran right-hander John Axford has been designated for assignment as part of a series of roster moves. Catcher Ryan Lavarnway’s contract has been selected from Triple-A, and he’ll take Axford’s spot on the 40-man roster. Lavarnway will step into the 25-man roster spot of fellow catcher Josh Phegley, who is headed to the 10-day DL with a strained left oblique muscle. Right-hander Ryan Dull, meanwhile, has been activated from the 10-day disabled list. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser suggested last night that Axford could be designated for assignment to upon Dull’s return.
The 34-year-old Axford posted solid results in the first season of a two-year, $10MM contract with the A’s in 2016, but his longstanding struggles with control have resurfaced in a significant manner in 2017. Axford has issued 17 walks in 21 innings this season, and he’s paired those control troubles with his highest home-run rate since 2013. He’s still averaged a strikeout per inning with a 50 percent ground-ball rate and an average fastball velocity of 95 mph, but his overall ERA rests at 6.43. ERA alternatives such as FIP (5.73), xFIP (5.31) and SIERA (5.17) don’t paint a much rosier picture for Axford’s work in 2017.
Why not designate Santiago Casilla? He blown the save last night. Bob Melvin could have won his 1,000 win. He has blown so many saves.
True Casilla is not exactly a closer anymore… Who then?
That was fun to watch last night. Jays have won 3 in a row. Smoak and Morales launched those balls.
The A’s are a crappy team that’s why the Jays are winning. What do you expect?
A’s are tanking for a better draft pick. You can see it with 3 loses in a week because of no bullpen. They look like a NBA team posturing for a better draft pick.
Give Dull a shot.
I know his ERA is high but he was trying to pitch through his injury. If you go by how he pitched last year he could end up being a pretty good closer.
Sorry not sure why it posted my last comment twice.
Blake Treinen, the guy they got from the Nationals for Doolittle and Madson.
Imho, that’d be too soon. He’s done well recovering from his fail as Nats closer. Let’s keep him there w/o pressure of being closer. That said, sadly, i don’t know where to find a closer. Perhaps, given the so-called rebuild, there isn’t one. It’s a last place team and gonna stay there again this season. Let’s keep trying out the kids and look ahead.
The athletics don’t have any good players. They get rid of a bad player and bring up a worse one.
You are forgetting in 2012, they had Donaldson, Cespedes, Reddick and Moss. They were all good and they were not bad at all.
he’s talking about this current team not 2012
Let’s see, they got rid of Vogt to bring up
Maxwell- an improvement. They got rid of Plouffe to bring up Chapman-also an improvement. Then they traded Madson and Doolittle to bring up…uh oh. But anyway, they have loads of young talent, and will get more once Gray is traded, IF he even will be.
Not saying he will get an immediate major league shot but those numbers suggest wildness which in most situations can be worked on. Someone will sign him to a minor league opportinity. He could even go to the Ad’s minors
Brewers should nab him! He’s got to miss the good ol’ days in Milwaukee when he was dominant.
Maybe on a MiLB deal but he is past his prime. Is Turnbow still tolling around somewhere?
Turnblow*
The most noteworthy piece of this article is that Lavarnway is back in the Majors!
Or that he’s still in Organized Baseball at all!!
Glad to see Lavarnway back in the majors!